plastic waste

It’s hard to believe that a year has passed by already! As I embarked on my year long photography residency at Flower City Arts Center I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I would be teaching throughout and working on documentary projects. I had no idea how much my personal project would challenge me while allowing me to grow and take a journey on another path. As I stepped outside the photographic work I am most familiar with, I had the same goal in mind –to raise an awareness about an issue I am passionate about. I chose Litter.

The challenge for me was the how. How do I document litter in a way that is unique while sending a powerful message. A day at the beach inspired the foundation of what is now a part of my work, plastic waste.

20638581_10214138145511508_1381924071823068436_n — *Plastic waste picked up on Sodus Point Beach this summer. The swell of water in Lake Ontario gave rise to plastic all along the shores and beaches of the lake in early spring.*

Equal to my passion for documenting issues that affect our community, I have become dedicated to the issue of plastic and it’s effect on the planet. It is my hope the images I create raise consciousness while encouraging paradigm shifts in our perceptions of one another, and those in positions of agency to help will step in and be the change the world needs.

The plastic project has done just that! I’ve had college groups reaching out to do beach cleanups, photographers joining forces to document our plastic problem, artists creating art out of waste, and community members committed to being the change this planet is in dire need of. This past year as a Flower City Arts Center photo resident has left me with such a powerful gift. Self-awareness. I caught my own attention regarding waste. Thinking I had a relatively small footprint, I was so wrong. Now I know, and through art the world will know.

Though my residency has come to an end, I will still be a teaching artist at the center, I hope you’ll join me! Thank you for such a special year, Megan, Sharon, Mark, Amanda, and Janice!

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The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World spent a recent Saturday afternoon picking up litter while concentrating on plastic at Sodus Point Beach. 30 lbs. of debris was collected. This plastic will be turned into purposeful art.

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A rainbow of color along the beach at Braddock Heights looks beautiful when seen collected and sorted, however plastic is a real concern for the planet. People made plastic pledges after viewing the Plastics: Our Weakness exhibit this summer, what will your pledge be?

Through my documentary photography I explore the human condition and the individual paths people take on their journey. Photography for me, has been an exploration of self-discovery as I tend towards issues that have affected me personally. My hope is always to raise an awareness and open the door for conversation.

Plastic waste picked up along Hamlin Beach

Plastics: Our Human Waste has been an education unlike no other. The evolution of this project came about due to my anxiety over litter. It seemed to me that many of the issues I document have

no concrete solutions. Litter on the other hand seems an easy fix. Don’t litter. Recycle. Pick it up. I am now aware that it is not that easy. My approach to Plastics came about after spending a day at Hamlin Beach along the shore of Lake Ontario. Looking around I was blown away at the amount of litter washed up. This wasn’t just any old litter, it was all plastic.

Bottle caps in all colors and sizes are strewn across our parks and beaches. To be recycled, a plastic cap must be kept on the bottle otherwise it is considered a contaminant. Caps get into our waterways most often by way of littering. Littered bottle caps are washed into storm drains, making their way into bodies of water. Eventually breaking down, the plastic become false food for marine life. Photo by Daryl Thaler. #KeepTheCapAttached

Picking up this plastic as though it were sea glass, I started sorting by color, shapes, and size. Working my way through Braddock, Durand and Webster beaches picking up plastic became a daily routine. The enormous amount of multi-colored plastic waste became overwhelming.

Plastic tampon applicators are abundant along Lake Ontario beaches. Photo by Daryl Thaler. #Refuse

Researching plastic in Lake Ontario was scary:

In 2012 and 2013 NGO 5 Gyres sampled areas of Lake Ontario, they recorded levels of plastic as high as 1.1 million particles per square km. – NOW Toronto News

Alex Mifflin of NOW Toronto states, “Just like the infamous garbage patches of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, our own backyard has been turned into a plastic soup – only our lakes have even higher concentrations of plastics than the biggest ocean garbage patches.”

Plastic debris recovered by Juan Pablo Munoz’s marine biology lab at the GAIAS Institute in the Galápagos Islands. Photo by Ben McLauchlin

I raised an awareness within my own family. Thinking we have a relatively small footprint, I was so wrong, plastic is used in every facet of our lives. It is my hope that these images alongside the actual plastic collected from the shores of Lake Ontario will raise an awareness in you.

Sea life sculptures made from discarded plastic found in Binghamton, NY by Ben McLauchlin

Saturday, August 19th, I will be hosting an Artist Talk on Plastics: Our Human Waste at the Flower City Arts Center. I have several guests joining me to include photographers who participated in documenting plastic and litter Jacalyn Meyvis and Erica Jae, my husband, Daryl Thaler who ventured out with me weekly collecting plastic waste along beaches and Ben McLauchlin, a Rochester native and Binghamton University student focusing on environmental studies and graphic design. Ben has participated in research in the Galapagos Islands studying plastic and will be talking about his experiences as well as sharing his images.

While at the talk you can check out images of plastic collected along Lake Ontario beaches and litter from Rochester area parks, the actual plastic that was swimming in the lake, and some cool artwork created by local artisans from the plastic.

Mermaid created out of plastic waste found along Lake Ontario beaches, by Kelly Cheatle of Airigami Balloon Creations

Remember: Reduce. Recycle. Reuse. Refuse.

Tag: plastic waste

My Residency has come to an end, but my adventure with plastic waste is just beginning!